Preparation
Before proceeding with the classes listed below, we would encourage you to take some time to prepare your heart by engaging in a spiritual check-up. We know how important it is to have a physical check up on a regular basis for the health of our bodies. In a similar way, we would encourage you to prayerfully take the time to go through our “spiritual diagnostic tests” and allow God to begin to reveal any areas of hurt or unconfessed sin that may be hindering you in your relationship with Him.
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? 2 Cor. 13:5
When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:3-5
During this initial “Preparation” component of the training we have provided two resources that you can use to allow the Spirit of God to do an examination of your heart. We would encourage you to print these off and prayerfully go through them.
This resource will help you to examine any areas of your heart that may have been damaged by those who have sinned against you. It will also help you to see where you may be holding onto unforgiveness.
Click here to access the Hurt of the Heart Inventory (13 pages)
This inventory has graciously been made available to us by Dr. Steve Smith from Church Equippers. We have made a few adjustments to the inventory available on our website. (All rights are reserved by Church Equippers for this inventory. Their website is: www.ChurchEquippers.com).
Cleansing Prayer Guide (23 pages): This is an interactive resource to assist you in praying through areas of unconfessed sin in order to enter into a place of freedom in Jesus Christ. Before beginning any of the ISRT courses we would highly encourage you to take several weeks to pray through this resource. Click here for more information and to sign up to receive a free e-copy of this prayer guide.
Conclusion to the “Preparation” Section
Going through these spiritual diagnostic tests is not to simply fill us with greater head knowledge about how weak we are. Seeing a problem but not knowing the solution is not helpful. We are not interested in providing just a short term relief from a problem only to find that it pops back up in a few weeks, months or even years. Jesus stated that in order to live in victory we must learn to develop a deep intimacy with God.
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5 (NASB)
Only as we have a clear understanding of where we are at, and what we are currently holding onto, are we in a position to surrender all of this to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and invite Him to deliver us from sin and heal us of the hurt of our hearts.
It is likely that as you went through these tests that some areas of undealt with sin were revealed to you. It is also likely that you noticed areas of your heart that have been wounded and are in need of healing. The solution to the problems that these spiritual diagnostic tests have revealed is very simple: deeper intimacy with God. Therefore, we highly encourage you to now move beyond these diagnostic tests to the next step – A Lifestyle of Deep Intimacy with God.